{"id":2619853,"date":"2026-06-27T08:31:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T12:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/don-lemon-admits-trump-is-a-media-genius-who-played-cnn-like-a-fiddle\/"},"modified":"2026-06-27T08:33:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T12:33:02","slug":"don-lemon-admits-trump-is-a-media-genius-who-played-cnn-like-a-fiddle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/don-lemon-admits-trump-is-a-media-genius-who-played-cnn-like-a-fiddle\/","title":{"rendered":"Don Lemon Admits Trump Is a &#8216;Media Genius&#8217; Who Played CNN Like a Fiddle"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdon-lemon-admits-trump-is-a-media-genius-who-played-cnn-like-a-fiddle%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2619853&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-issues-multiple-corrections-for-article-falsely-claiming-900000-u-s-children-have-been-hospitalized-for-covid-19-during-pandemic\/\" title=\"New York Times Issues Multiple Corrections For Article Falsely Claiming 900,000 U.S. Children Have Been Hospitalized For COVID-19 During Pandemic\">article discusses<\/a> a confession from former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who suggests that CNN\u2019s coverage of President Donald Trump was influenced by a desire to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-idol-accused-of-using-conway-daughter-for-ratings\/\" title=\"\u2018American Idol\u2019 Accused Of Using Conway Daughter For Ratings\">boost ratings<\/a> and profit, rather than purely journalistic objectives. Lemon reveals that top executives, including Les Moonves and Jeff zucker, recognized Trump\u2019s appeal as a ratings magnet, and that CNN deliberately allowed interviews with Trump, advising staff to let him talk and fact-check later. The piece highlights how Trump received significant media exposure early in his campaign, accumulating billions in free coverage. Lemon\u2019s remarks, made during a podcast appearance, shed light on the media\u2019s ofen strategic relationship with political figures, raising questions about the authenticity of coverage and the influence of commercial interests on journalism.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>According to one of CNN\u2019s more infamous ex-anchors, the network\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tech-community-turns-against-the-new-york-times\/\" title=\"Tech Community Turns Against the New York Times\">adversarial relationship<\/a> with President Donald Trump isn\u2019t actually quite as antagonistic as it seems.<\/p>\n<p>Ex-CNN host Don Lemon \u2014 no stranger to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/don-lemon-charged-civil-rights-crimes-connection-st-paul-church-protest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recent<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/former-cnn-host-don-lemon-sued-emotional-distress-following-minnesota-church-stunt-appeared-take-satisfaction-disruption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">controversy<\/a> \u2014 recently appeared on the \u201cWhat Now?\u201d podcast, which is hosted by former \u201cDaily Show\u201d host Trevor Noah.<\/p>\n<p>The two men covered a wide range of topics, all with a heavy leftist slant, but the conversation did get a bit critical of a nominally left-leaning network in CNN.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you guys at CNN ever know that [Trump] was, like, playing you guys like puppets?\u201d Noah asked Lemon. \u201cDid you ever figure it out at some point?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh, yeah,\u201d Lemon replied.<\/p>\n<p>The 60-year-old Lemon continued: \u201cSo, I think, honestly, they maybe knew somewhere in the beginning, but it was good for business. Do you remember Les Moonves? He goes, you know, \u2018Trump is bad for the country, but he\u2019s good for business.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(Moonves is the former chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation, who resigned in 2018 following sexual abuse allegations.)<\/p>\n<p>Noah then mentioned that former CNN head honcho Jeff Zucker echoed similar sentiments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Moonves] did say that,\u201d Noah said. \u201cAnd Jeff Zucker said, \u2018Donald Trump is many things, but one thing I\u2019ll tell you is, he\u2019s a one<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >-man ratings wrecking ball<\/a>.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI tell you, Jeff got hip to it really early, but he never told us what to say,\u201d Lemon said. \u201cThe only thing that he would tell us is, when we were doing interviews, when he allowed us to do interviews, is just, \u2018Let him talk, and fact-check.\u2019 You can ask him anything. It\u2019s all in the way you ask the question.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added: \u201cOr you compliment him before. \u2018You\u2019re a marketing genius. Now, this one thing I don\u2019t understand, because it didn\u2019t quite go over well with your supporters. What happened?\u2019 And then you\u2019re in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>You can watch the entire exchange for yourself below, though the relevant CNN remarks begin at about the 1-hour mark:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers may find offensive<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hhqkCbNYeQ0?si=8VNdEoaJzrS415vD\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While some may write off Lemon as a jilted ex-employee, there is something to the idea that, for all the negative coverage the establishment media gave Trump, it was ultimately still coverage.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, even at the very beginning of Trump\u2019s political ascent, it was noticeable.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2016, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2016\/09\/30\/breakingviews-trump-cold-shoulder-for-tv-ads-may-set-the-trend.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNBC<\/a> reported that Trump had effectively received \u201c$4.6 billion in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/who-cares-trump-quits-screen-actors-guild-after-they-threaten-disciplinary-action\/\" title=\"\u2018Who Cares!\u2019: ... Quits Screen Actor\u2019s Guild After They Threaten \u2018Disciplinary\u2019 Action\">free media<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lemon was actually a part of that breathless Trump coverage, having joined CNN in 2006 and receiving his own show in 2014. He would eventually leave in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/breaking-don-lemon-announces-fired-cnn-following-brutal-ratings-scandals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2023 under a cloud of scandal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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